People walk in the parking lot of a Best Buy store during a snow storm in North Olmsted, Ohio, Dec. 26, 2012. / Mark Duncan, AP

by Staff and wire reports, USA TODAY

by Staff and wire reports, USA TODAY

The timing may not have been perfect as a major snow storm blanketed much of the USA Wednesday. But electronics retailer Best Buy is curtailing its telecommuting program.

The announcement, according to a story on CNNMoney.com that quotes a Best Buy e-mail, comes just one week after Internet giant Yahoo banned telecommuting, reigniting the debate over the pros and cons of letting employees work from home.

Yahoo banned the practice. But some of the 4,000 non-store Best Buy workers who get approval from their supervisors will be allowed to work remotely, according to the CNN story. Until now, they could make that choice without a supervisor's OK.

Best Buy's web site on Wednesday had no news release about the policy change. But the CNN story quoted an e-mail from Best Buy spokesman Matt Furman that said: "It used to be a right about which a manager had no say. Now it's a conversation."

Best Buy's telecommuting program began in 2005 and received praise from workplace advocates. However, the company's turnaround plans are being undercut by price competition from online rivals such as Amazon and others.